Aquino’s Christmas message: Spend time with your family

Natashya Gutierrez

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Aquino’s Christmas message: Spend time with your family
The President also asks Filipinos to pray for victims of Typhoon Ruby and mentions the upcoming visit of Pope Francis

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III has a message for Filipino families for the holiday season: spend time with each other.

On Monday, December 22, Malacañang released a video of the President addressing the nation in time for Christmas.

In the video, Aquino encouraged Filipinos to celebrate a meaningful Christmas with their families.

“Christmas will be more meaningful if we use it as an opportunity to get even closer to our families,” he said in the vernacular. “We know the love of Filipino families knows no boundaries. Isn’t this one thing we take pride in as a quality of our people?”

He added, “Near or far, we are not lacking in the way we let our families feel our love.”

Aquino also asked Filipinos to use Christmas as a chance “to review the past year and be grateful for our blessings.” He encouraged the public to “pray for those who were forced to vacate” due to Typhoon Ruby, but expressed gratitude that many lives were saved during the storm.

“[Let’s] thank the Lord for the many who were rescued despite Typhoon Ruby and will be able to celebrate Christmas with their families,” he said, referring to the recent typhoon that hit the country that affected millions but killed only 18.

Papal visit

Earlier Monday, he visited Borongan, Eastern Samar, to check up on typhoon victims.

The President also mentioned the upcoming visit of Pope Francis in January, the first papal visit since Pope John Paul II’s trip in 1995.

“With the coming visit of the Pope to the country, certainly hope will prosper and faith will deepen not only among our countrymen in need but among all Christians,” he said.

Aquino vowed that the government would continue to follow the example of Jesus Christ, whose unconditional love, he said, Filipinos should remember this season.

Like Jesus, he said, “your government is here not to put itself first, not to act like king, but to serve its bosses and the country,” citing the administration’s accomplishment in addressing corruption, resolving problems within government institutions, and increasing the quality of life of the poor over the past 4 years.

“This is our gift for the next generation, a Philippines that is free from corruption, and enjoys long lasting peace, where every Filipino has the chance to live an honorable and fruitful life.” – Rappler.com

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Natashya Gutierrez

Natashya is President of Rappler. Among the pioneers of Rappler, she is an award-winning multimedia journalist and was also former editor-in-chief of Vice News Asia-Pacific. Gutierrez was named one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for 2023.